NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair says a company that posted an online ad seeking Punjabi-speaking phone canvassers for $13 an hour had 鈥渘o permission whatsoever to use the NDP鈥檚 name.鈥�

Not only is the $13 hourly rate below the $15 minimum wage the NDP has proposed for federal workers, but is significantly less than the $17 an hour the NDP pays English-speaking telephone workers.

鈥淥ur party did not post that ad,鈥� , responding to a question from CTV鈥檚 Richard Madan. 鈥淭his apparently was a company hired by a subcontractor.鈥�

The ad went online in the Vancouver section of Craigslist in July, but resurfaced this week, causing controversy on Twitter.

鈥淥ur party pays all callers the same amount, which is $17, whether you鈥檙e (using) English, French, Punjabi or any other language,鈥� Mulcair said.

Robert Ouellette, the Liberal candidate for Winnipeg Centre, was among those who pointed out the apparent discrepancy in pay rates.